In a case that sounds like a bad Law and Order plot, a chauffer for Yoko Ono allegedly threatened to release potentially embarrassing photographs and audio recordings if she did not pay him $2 million.

According to Assistant District Attorney Maureen O’Conner, Koral Karsan, 50, said “he had people on standby waiting to kill the victim on his orders.” She made this remarks at Karsan’s arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court.

Tanya Kennedy, after hearing from O’Connor that Karsan “had threatened to kill the victim,” set Karsan’s bail at $500,000 bond or $250,000 cash, and gave the district attorney’s office 72 hours to examine the source of the money if it is posted

Karsan is originally from Turkey and according to O’Connor has family, property and contacts in Turkey. O’Connor claimed that Karsan was an “extraordinary flight risk” and continued “there is no doubt he would flee.” Karsan had been in the country for approximately ten years.

Karsan’s defense lawyer, Patrick Kevin Brosnahan, said his client was not guilty and “will vigorously dispute these charges.”

The defendant maintained that Ono was trying “to stop me from pursuing a sexual harassment case.”

Police alleged that on December 8^th, Karsan delivered a note and a photo of Ono in her night gown to the Dakota apartment where Ono currently resides and at one time shared with John Lennon. The note was allegedly rambling and stated the he had secretly photographed Ono and made tape recordings of her during private moments and that he would publicize the material if she did not pay him.

The timing was especially bad as this was the night of the 26^th anniversary of John Lennon’s death. On the night of Dec. 8, 1980, Lennon and Ono were returning to their apartment in the Dakota when gunman Mark David Chapman shot John four times with a .38-caliber.

Karsan had been an employee for almost six years and had driven Ono almost everyday during that period.

Police claim they recorded Karsan talked about killing Ono, her son and himself during a conversation with one of Ono’s associates.

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 14th, 2006 at 4:54 pm and is filed under Crime, Gold Diggers, Music. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Be sure to subscribe to the PopTherapy.com feed because it is really, really funny. Have something funny you want to share? Please let us know.